Ice Age Apocalypse: I Hoard Billions of Supplies

Chapter 457: At the Negotiating Table

Kong Sheng defeated Chen Jingguan in less than a minute. His overwhelming strength left everyone present with grim expressions.

Chen Jingguan was the second-in-command of Chaoyu Base, and his combat abilities were well-known. For many, like Uncle You—a fellow Enhancement-Type superhuman—the question of whether they could defeat Chen left them uneasy. Liang Yue believed he might stand a chance, but not without difficulty.

This gap wasn’t just about personal strength; it was about strategy. Fighters from the Jiangnan District were battle-hardened veterans who had crawled out of mountains of corpses. Their combat experience was leagues beyond the locals.

After defeating Chen Jingguan, Kong Sheng, still itching for a fight, turned to the onlookers and said, “If anyone else thinks they’re strong enough, feel free to come challenge me!”

It was clear to everyone: Kong Sheng and his team were here to establish dominance.

But after witnessing Chen’s swift defeat, no one wanted to be the next sacrificial lamb. One misstep could cost their lives.

When no one stepped forward, Kong Sheng shrugged with boredom and lazily turned back toward his team.

In the second-floor conference room, Wei Dinghai frowned at the sound of Chen Jingguan’s scream outside. Still, he refrained from leaving to check, as Bian Junwu and the leaders of the major factions were deep in discussion about their next steps.

Each faction shared their intelligence on the zombie and rat hordes, exchanging crucial information.

Only Zhang Yi kept the methods he used to eradicate the hordes in his territory to himself. Nevertheless, the rest of the factions shared freely, knowing that their common goal was to eliminate the zombies.

If they couldn’t deal with the hordes, Tianhai City would face annihilation. A single button press from Jinling would release the Lover’s Death weapon, erasing Tianhai City from the map.

No one could afford that price.

After the exchange, Bian Junwu placed both hands on the table and began issuing directives.

“Good. I’ve reviewed the intelligence you’ve provided, combined it with what we already know, and I have a plan.”

The room grew silent with anticipation.

The Jiangnan District’s intelligence network was leagues ahead of theirs. Everyone was curious to know just how much information the district’s headquarters in Jinling had on Tianhai City.

Adjusting his thick glasses, Bian Junwu addressed the room in a measured tone:

“Our investigation confirms that zombies are drawn to densely populated areas. The larger the crowd, the more zombies converge.”

“The rat hordes, being symbiotic with the zombies, follow their movements. So, if we eliminate the zombies, the rats will naturally scatter.”

“Furthermore, the zombies display a consistent pattern of behavior. This strongly suggests they’re being directed by a Zombie King.”

“Of course, ‘Zombie King’ is just a designation—it could be a powerful zombie or a superhuman.”

“The zombie horde’s numbers are staggering, allowing them to sustain simultaneous attacks across multiple locations in Tianhai City.”

Raising his voice, Bian Junwu continued, “Based on this, we can conclude that simply eliminating the surface hordes will achieve nothing.”

“To resolve the crisis at its root, we must destroy the so-called Zombie King.”

“So, starting now, I need each of your factions to relocate the majority of your populations underground to avoid being overrun.”

“Then, concentrate your elite forces and focus on taking down the Zombie King.”

Bian Junwu’s plan called for drastic sacrifices. He expected Qingfu Base to abandon its steel refinery, Yangsheng Base to relinquish its oil refinery, and Chaoyu Base to give up its port.

The leaders of the three factions exchanged hesitant glances but eventually nodded in agreement.

Previously, they had been reluctant to abandon surface resources, fearing it would compromise their future survival. Additionally, even if they retreated, the zombie horde’s threat would remain unresolved.

Now, with the Jiangnan District stepping in to unify command, they felt more confident.

After all, everyone was struggling to protect themselves; no one could exploit the situation to attack others.

As long as the horde was destroyed, the resources and territories would remain theirs. After all, zombies had no interest in resources—only human flesh.

With a unified front, many obstacles became easier to resolve.

At this point, the High Priest of the Followers of the Snow God broke the silence.

“What about us?”

Zheng Yixian frowned, clearly displeased. “The other factions have underground shelters and high-level bunkers, but the Followers of the Snow God have nothing!”

“Mr. Bian, you can’t play favorites here!”

Bian Junwu turned to Zheng Yixian, his expression cold.

“You have thousands of followers in your sect. Protecting them is your responsibility, not ours.”

“Do you expect us to protect your disciples for you?”

Zheng Yixian’s face darkened, but before he could retort, Bian Junwu continued, “We can only formulate strategies based on your current resources. If you lack the awareness to prepare, then you’ll simply be swallowed by the zombie horde.”

It was clear Bian Junwu didn’t care about the sect’s survival—his priority was stopping the zombie crisis and preventing the virus from spreading to surrounding regions.

Zheng Yixian gritted his teeth, gripping the armrest of his chair. “So, you’re just going to watch as our people are sacrificed?”

“If the other factions retreat underground, the Followers of the Snow God will undoubtedly become the zombies’ primary target!”

“How will our followers survive?”

Zhang Yi raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk tugging at his lips.

Xiao Honglian, Wei Dinghai, and Xing Tian were visibly indifferent.

The sect’s survival wasn’t their concern.

Xiao Honglian even sneered, “You’ve taken in so many followers, most of whom can’t fight. If you couldn’t handle it, you shouldn’t have recruited them in the first place!”

“Now that there’s a problem, you expect others to clean up after you?”

She had long been irritated by the sect and seized the opportunity to mock them.

Zheng Yixian glared at Xiao Honglian, murderous intent flickering in his eyes.

Just then, Bian Junwu broke the tension.

“The Followers of the Snow God still have their uses. If you can’t hide effectively, you can serve another purpose.”

Author’s Note